Reviews

Abrams and crew went above and beyond my expectations and completely blew me away with fascinating visual effects, top notch music and high grade acting. Just like what Nolan did to Batman, JJ Abrams breathed new life to a dormant franchise and one can assume that this is where things will kickstart for Captain Kirk and his Enterprise crew. Having seen this one, I am all for a Star Trek 12 and I might even buy the classic series and the preceding movies. JJ Abrams, also the director of underrated action piece Mission Impossible 3, definitely has an eye for action and escapist storytelling and this movie might just be his hot ticket to greater movie projects.

I've had my reservations with Chris Pine playing Kirk because to be honest, no one really knew him and the fans were worried if the new Captain Kirk will work or not. Well, fortunately all is good and well with Chris Pine as he fills in the shoes of William Shatner. Pine's approach to Kirk brings justice to Shatner's unique portrayal while making a distinct personality that caters the new generation. Not to be outdone, Zachary Quinto of Heroes fame brings the assertiveness and gusto of Spock to a whole new level. Both of them meld perfectly on screen and the chemistry has a certain spark and charm that will be remembered by fans and non-fans alike. Tip of the hat also to Karl Urban who plays Bones McCoy, Simon Pegg as disgraced engineer Scotty, Zoe Saldana as feisty Uhura and a kickass John Cho as Enterprise pilot Hikari Sulu. Eric Bana channels some of his "Chopper characteristics playing main baddie, Nero and for all intents and purposes, his turn as a villain was effective and three dimensional.

Mind blowing visual effects and an ear piercing and stunning score by Michael Giacchino bookends this visual treat of a movie that is turning to be an early 2009 favorite among fans and critics. A must see for the summer movie season.

This movie has warped my fragile little mind. Bullets, booze, tits and mayhem times two, Crank 2 is like going bungee jumping, but without a cord. If you thought Crank was messed up, then you're gonna have to see this one to prove yourself wrong and be blown away by its awesomeness. Crank was violent, the sequel took it up a notch and, I mean this in the literal sense, bloods were spraying like geysers and body counts were piling up faster than a genocide. Also tons of nudity to be had, one more side boob and it would have turned into full on pornography. Hyper-real and ultra-violent, Crank 2 is a fun, fun ride from start to finish. Calling it 'energetic' is an understatement.

I'm not saying its better than its predecessor, I still prefer the original over this and this shouldn't have been made in the first place but what the heck, the dynamic duo Neveldine & Taylor pulled it off so I got no problems with it. Jason Statham pulled out all the stops with this sequel proving yet again why he's one of Hollywood's future in the action genre. Amy Smart plays lovable, feisty and kooky like a mood ring as she portrays Statham's girlfriend Eve. With all the out of this world craziness happening in the movie, the blood & guts spilled, its good to know that you have Amy Smart dancing in a stripper pole as an anchor. Appearances from David Carradine, Clifton Collins to Bai Ling were a nice touch to the kinetic franchise.

Crank 3? I'm already there. A must.

After a not so hot streak of low end, trashy movies, Nicolas Cage has come back from the dead starring in this high powered apocalyptic horror/sci-fi breed from director Alex Proyas. I've always been a big fan of Cage, but not so much lately when he starred in what seemed to be a slew of uninspired movies that can be compared to garbage eaten by rats. But alas, guided by the right hands of a man with a vision and free reign, Cage returns to form and carries the whole movie all the way through. What's more is that he didn't need to don an ugly looking hairstyle, just a normal one and no killer bees, motorcycles on fire and Thai prostitutes either so my faith in him has been restored. I've heard news that he plans to retire soon, I say no.

The man clearly has more to offer and to some, the stench of the havoc caused by Wicker Man, Ghost Rider and Bangkok Dangerous is still there. Maybe take another jab at the Oscar gold too. Nicolas Cage aside, I can't figure out what the movie really tries to be. There's part where it passes off as a horror movie and there are parts where the vibe is just pure science fiction. But I call a mix between the two because there's just enough to make it horrific and just the right amount to call it sci-fi. Alex Proyas, the man behind such great films like Dark City and The Crow may have made his best one yet with this movie. Peppered with great CG effects, just the right amount of dialogue for a movie like this and a couple of mind melting scenes that will cause your brain to leak out your ears. I saw it in a theater and I was on my toes the whole time probably because of the effective mood the director has toned it with and the astounding and ear shattering music score by Marco Beltrami.

I wouldn't wanna spoil the ending but I can vouch for its uniqueness. Definitely not your typical Hollywood ending one expects it to be, I like how the director probably just slammed it all over the Roman Catholic church with the way the ending turned out and still, leaving a mark and a message that will make an impact to the audience and they won't even see it coming.

One of the best films I've seen since 2009 kicked things off. It is just refreshing to see this one atop the box office and not some low rent, B-grade studio movie. Highly recommended.

Wow. Just wow. I did not see that coming. As you might have already known, I'm not the usual kind of guy who enjoys politically charged movies, its just not my cup of tea. It either tends to be just pure propaganda BS or just plain preachy. There are some rare occasions however when handled by a man with a vision, all pretentiousness aside not taking sides whatsoever, the end result might turn out to be something great. Such rare occasion is this movie, I was just floored. Speechless. Its journalistic integrity vs national security, the government's ever growing control over the people vs freedom of speech, its all even handed arguments and this movie excellently fleshes it all out bit by bit until we reach the shocking conclusion. This is a movie that will captivate you, it goes past the glamour of its leading actors and all that hoopla and brings you right in the complexity of the story. It makes you think, it lubes up the rusty spots in your brain and gets you involved. After watching this movie, I just felt sad because this is the kind of movies Hollywood rarely makes anymore.

Rod Lurie, on double duty here both as a director and a writer deserves all the kudos he can get. He shines in both departments, there was no right wing-left wing backstory here, it was an unflinching and inspired look at some of today's current issues and it was handled very greatly. It was intense, it was emotional, it was hard hitting and it is definitely one of 2008's most underrated films. The acting department all turned in some very fine performances. Matt Dillon who exudes a commanding presence playing a special prosecutor. His unnerved emotions served greatly in portraying the role and its one of the best I've seen of him so far. Alan Alda plays a high powered attorney with gusto, I've never really been a fan of his but after this one, I'm gonna check out some of his other works soon. Kate Beckinsale turns in an intense performance as the reporter and this is by far her greatest performance to date. And lastly, Vera Farmiga who has always been a top dog in the acting department turns in a mesmerising and captivating portrayal of a hard edged CIA agent and yet also a caring mom to her daughter. Her portrayal was never out of tune and the delivery was as natural as one actress can get. God only knows why she wasn't nominated for Best Supporting Actress in the recently concluded Oscars.

The ending will just floor you and I promise you, you will not see it coming. Not by a long mile.

What a big letdown. First off, I wasn't really expecting much out of this, the trailer wasn't really something but it has Freeman and Banderas in it, both I am a big fan of. As it turned out, it was all a big, fat failure of a heist movie. I always welcome recycled plot lines just as long as the execution brings something new to the table but in Thick as Thieves, there wasn't. We've all seen it before and the twist at the end, although you never see it coming within the movie, the shock factor was poorly executed.

I love all of Freeman's works but this one is at the end of the line. The chemistry between Banderas and Mitchell was off, there was no spark none whatsoever. Skip it, rent it but don't buy it. It's a waste of money.

I can't believe this one flew under my radar for almost two years. Chaos Theory is one of those rare gems in between, you never hear it being talked about but has also built quite a fanbase. Chaos Theory is a quirky, surprising little gem with a great script and an impressive vision. Directed by Marcos Siega (Pretty Persuasion), the movie works on both ends. It has enough comedy to give a chuckle or two and exact amount of drama for the love sick. Ryan Reynolds, whether you love him or hate him, is always the impressive actor and this is by far one of his best on screen performance. Emily Mortimer is always terrific and the elusive Stuart Townsend graces us with his charisma and almost-never-seen talent. This is a rarity of a gem with a great cast and a perfect blend of heartwarming drama and spot-on comedic timing.

However, its never gonna get the wide audience that it deserves mainly because the stars aren't exactly top draws in the box office which is just sad really because the wider audience would rather just watch a dude dressed as a lady in a fatsuit (I'm looking at you Tyler Perry) than real good quality film-making.

Even if you're not a Charlie Chaplin fan like me, this movie is still a must-see for all avid movie goers out there. Directed by Lord Richard Attenborough, also the creator of another biopic-"Gandhi", Chaplin is a wonderful portrayal of an incredible icon, the highs and the lows, the triumphs and the failures. We take a special look into the life of one of Hollywood's most celebrated cultural pop icons and quite possibly one of the greatest comics of all time. While not really a masterpiece in any way as the film tends to jump around a bit from scene to scene, however, under the watchful eye of Attenborough, the film packs a neat punch and leaves a lasting impression to the audience. The technicals are also worth noting, from Sven Nykvist's mesmerizing Oscar nominated cinematography and John Barry's haunting and enchanting music score which was put to great effect in one of the film's highlights: the opening scene.

Robert Downey Jr. gives the performance of a lifetime as Chaplin, his best performance to date I might add. He captured the essence of Chaplin down to the gait, accent and gestures. He completely disappeared into the role no matter what stage of life the character was in, from the young would-be entertainer from vaudeville, to the dashing and charming early 30's in Hollywood and old, fragile man in exile - he easily complimented Chaplin's quirkiness and joyous persona and all the while still creating a real human being on screen. Not only RDJ's best performance but also one of the most impressive performance of the 90's. An energetic Kevin Kline as Doug Fairbanks was a stand out among the supporting cast and the performances from the rest of the cast were very good indeed.

The ending where Chaplin is being awarded with a lifetime achievement Oscar is hauntingly beautiful topped off with Downey's award winning tears and John Barry's alluring music, a great ending for a great film.

Rachel Getting Married is a remarkable film. Shot in hand-held which gives the film a grainy, raw picture also strikingly similar to 2008's another remarkable film, The Wrestler. It felt like watching a home video/documentary and to some, it may come off as annoying but alas, it totally worked for me. I'm glad to see the director took a big leap by doing guerrilla style camera shots, and it mesmerisingly paid off. It worked for The Wrestler and make it a 2-0 for Rachel Getting Married.

When it comes to the acting department, every body is in top form. Debra Winger is superb. Rosemarie Dewitt is just brilliant and Anne Hathaway turns over a new leaf with her performance as Kym, a recovering drug addict. Its amazing how far Anne went from The Princess Diaries and Ella Enchanted and wouldn't you know it, 4 odd years later she's in the running for Oscar gold. She deserves it. Jonathan Demme, the director of 90's epics like The Silence of the Lambs and Philadelphia returns to form with this 2008 outing. Great film, a must watch.

Another "Oscar-bait Holocaust" movie? I don't think so. Its not even nominated in the Oscars so now its a "Holocaust movie" but alas, its more than a Holocaust movie. As seen through the eyes of Bruno, an eight year old child who forms a forbidden friendship with a Jewish little Boy, Shmuel. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is an especially moving film coupled with a heartbreaking ending and some great performances from the whole cast. Child actors Asa Butterfield (Bruno) and Jack Scanlon (Shmuel) both give stellar performances and the adults doesn't fail either. Vera Farmiga gave a dead on performance as Bruno's mother while David Thewlis took one for the home team as the Herr Komandant of Auschwitz and Bruno's father. Rupert Friend also gives a notable performance as Thewlis's right hand man Lieutenant Kotler.

But what really struck me the most in the movie is the ending. They stepped out the usual Hollywood norm where everybody everywhere is happy and giddy. I'm not gonna spoil the ending for you so I'll only tell you this, you surely won't be smiling once the film reaches its tragic conclusion. In fact its the exact opposite, you will cry buckets.

The Graduate is a true timeless classic that struck all the right chords. Benjamin Braddock is character that I can totally relate to and pretty much all the teens who had the same exact problems after graduating college. Dustin Hoffman's breakout role as Ben is a dead on impression. He gives a wonderfully underplayed performance, he got the awkwardness bit right down to that uneasy smirk and the deep lifeless stare. Anne Bancroft on the other hand, plays the legendary major cougar Mrs. Robinson. I have heard a lot of things about the character and my expectations for the infamous cougar queen were really high and after watching the film, my expectations were more than met. She plays the role like she knows it by heart and steals almost every scene she's in. Screw that TV show, Mrs. Robinson is the real desperate housewife.

Another great aspect of the film is the soundtrack. Never have I seen a song used more appropriately in a film and The Graduate's 'A Sound of Silence' represents the problem and turmoils the characters face in the film. This is Mike Nichols' best film and easily one of my favorite movies of all-time. If you still haven't seen this, by all means watch it at any cost. Highly recommended.

Neil Burger's offbeat, quirky, dramatic movie is a triumph. It succeeds in all the aspects, from the technical parts to the acting, I can't find a single negative thing about it. Burger doesn't dilly-dally around, he went straight to the point of his subject, giving a fair amount of time for each of the three characters (McAdams, Pena and Robbins) to develop and eventually you can't help but really like them...a lot. Especially McAdams but more on that later. The script is tightly wound, the chemistry between the three protagonists doesn't seem forced, the movie doesn't force you to like them the moment the movie starts but instead, these colorful characters will gradually grow on you.

Tim Robbins, one of my favorite actors, doesn't disappoint. 2008, I have seen him in two movies the other one being The City of Ember. And as long as a movie has Tim Robbins in it, I'm sold. That's why I watched the movie in the first place. Michael Pena, another great guy, gives off a good vibe towards the movie and once you know what's been bothering his character, you can't help but laugh at how one-sided and ridiculous his problem is. Pena gives one of his greatest performance on screen. And of course, the belle of the ball, the star of the show, Rachel McAdams gives a quirky, zesty and joyful performance as a lovable Southerner and I can't help but be reminded of another quirky, zesty and joyful character, Amelie. She just keeps the laughs rolling in and steal every scene she's in. She gives the character such depth that one might come off as one dimensional had it been portrayed by a lesser talent. Definitely an underrated performance for 2008.

Highly recommended.

Action woman Kathryn Bigelow returns to form in this intense war drama about an elite Bomb Squad whose job is to disarm and diffuse deadly bombs that plagues modern day Iraq. Her first film since 2002's K19:The Widowmaker, this movie is the best way to make a comeback and I just hope people will notice that. Rarely does a woman captivate the action junkies out there by putting together a series of intense, breath taking scenes and with the lightning fast pace she simply won't let you recover and you'll find yourself glued to the screen for the whole two hours of the movie.

Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie and Brian Geraghty all gave good performances though not memorable in any way, they carry the sentiments of the soldiers currently serving in the Iraq war and I believe justice is brought to each of their roles. Supporting roles include Ralph Fiennes, who is everywhere right now, Guy Pearce and David Morse. Although much of them are pretty much in only a scene or two, they did pretty well considering. The Hurt Locker is a movie that transcends politics and all that mumbo jumbo. Simply put, this movie is a kickass action pic that grabs you by the throat and won't let go until the end credits roll. If you're into this kind of stuff, then this is a must see.

Words cannot express how truly magnificent this film is. This is what film-making is all about, pure escapism. You forget reality for two hours and you'll get an amazing masterwork helmed by a genius, written by a visionary and defined by high standard acting. Everything is so right in this film, from the acting, to the vivid cinematography. The directing and writing were beyond excellent. Some people complained about its length and I am not one of them. Believe it or not, I actually wanted more out of it, it is that good but I believe the ending is just as magical the way it is. David Fincher, one of the greatest directors in our current generation takes another risky project and turns it into one of the most beautiful films of recent memory. From Fight Club to Seven and 2007's sleeper Zodiac, the guy has yet to make a bad film. Well, except for Alien 3 but that is nothing but history now. Kudos also to the guys who wrote 'Button', the geniuses Eric Roth and Robin Swicord, their work is simply masterful I wouldn't omit a line from the film. Every second is treasured and wasn't wasted.

Brad Pitt has come a long way since Thelma & Louise. The dashing debonair didn't resort to his boyish good looks but instead acts wonderfully. There is a certain charm about him that makes Benjamin an interesting and memorable character. He puts his all and the payoff is grand. Cate Blanchett is just superb as Daisy. No other actress could have portrayed Daisy like Cate did and the chemistry between them is just magic. Taraji P. Henson deserves at least a Best Supporting nod, what she did to Queenie couldn't have been better. Its just amazing. The make-up department deserves a round of applause too, the effects that renders Pitt into an old, frail child were just a thing of beauty. All in all, 'Benjamin Button' is a 2008 masterwork that you can't afford to miss. Highly recommended.

The movie was good. Not Zwick's best effort though and as for the acting it was Liev Schreiber that delivered the most. Every time I see Craig I see James Bond and that other guy, Jamie Bell, was barely even on screen. I'm guessing most of his scenes were cut out of the film to pave the way for more Craig screen time. The action set pieces were mostly impressive but the problem is, its over before you know it. But I can honestly say, it was impressive nonetheless. Its not brainless by any means, the movie has a profound and compelling story. One can only wonder how these filmmakers come up with more WWII movie ideas every year.

From a visual point of view, the movie looks absolutely beautiful. From the authentic weaponry and uniforms to the rich and colorful Lithuanian locations, Defiance may fall flat during some points throughout the film; as with every other black and white war movies that's been released, the Germans are depicted as war machines of death without remorse, if you can overlook these flaws I think it is an enjoyable film and in its entirety, Defiance is an overwhelming movie that doesn't glamorize the war but shows the intense reality behind it all. A must see for all war movie fans out there.

A deeply moving film that tugs your emotional heartstrings in all the right places, The Wrestler is as real as you can get, its honest to the core and absolutely no BS. Aronofsky told us a story and he told it at flaming speed. Coupled with great set design and amazing cinematography (I just can't get enough of those over the shoulder shots), The Wrestler is a defining moment in 2008 cinema and it is gonna be remembered for the years to come.

I know its all said and done, but Mickey Rourke gives a career defining performance as Randy "The Ram". Rourke is Ram, there can be no other actor who can portray the character like Rourke did. The Ram reflects Rourke's real life struggles and he puts it to good use by using his raw, unnerved emotions on-screen. Tomei also knocked it out the ballpark portraying a sullen, single mom working as a stripper at a nightclub. The spark between her and Rourke is just pure magic but with a depressing mix to the equation when you realize these are people who are in the twilight of their careers and they have nobody else to turn to but each other. Evan Rachel Wood plays the daughter and although she is only seen in a couple or so scenes, she makes up for it with great acting and no doubt, this stunning lady is going places. Aronofsky, known for his previous depressing and sad films, gives us another one to cry our hearts out on so if you still haven't seen the film, ready your Kleenex because the ending will be one for the books.

A must see.

What an amazing film this was. Its funny, its heartwarming, its emotional during certain points and if you are in touch with your emotional side, there is a chance that you will cry buckets. The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is a Japanese animated film that dwells in high school life and all that comes with it, the crushes, the puppy love, the platonic friendship and friendship that soon blossoms into romance. To spice things up a bit, the creators incorporated time travel in the mix and gave it to our klutzy heroine Makoto and the end result is absolutely satisfying as it manages to hit all the right spots and tug your heartstrings. The animation is just gorgeous to look at. It reminds you of a Ghibli movie due to its breathtaking use of rich colors and lavish texture, the film itself almost comes alive with its near perfect animation. The voice work done is perfect as well, integrating it seamlessly into the film thus giving life to the colorful and cheerful characters on screen. While the Sci-fi part and the time travel stuff may not be ironed out to the highest level, I suggest you leave your Einstein mindset right at the doorstep and just enjoy the story that the film is telling. All in all, if you look at it, the film is a touching tale bursting with emotions and it just warms your heart in all the right places. Highly recommended.

Now, I'm not the kind of guy who's into politically-charged dramas. Almost 70% of the time, I sleep through them. I think the reason why that is is because I hate politics. I truly, sincerely 100% hate politics. I pay my taxes and that's it, my only valid brush with politics. So when I find out that a politically-charged drama is in the runnings for the Oscar season, my first reaction was to skip it. But then, in the immortal words of Will Smith (or is it that Lawrence guy?), the sh8t just got real. It was turning into something. The critics gave it favorable reviews and the audience even. So with that in mind, I decided to give it a try. Ron Howard needed to come back out strong after a disappointing The Da Vinci Code. Its all or nothing for him.

Well, after all the hullaballu, only one thing can be said after watching Frost/Nixon: a masterpiece. Simply astounding. Compelling and powerful. Langella gives the performance of a lifetime as President Nixon. There is no doubt in mind that he'll be nominated for Best Actor in every Award ceremonies out there, including the Oscars. Langella turned Nixon into a well thought out and complex character and he even adapted the President's deep blue voice. There's some steep competition this year in the Best Actor category with Sean Penn, Brad Pitt and Mickey Rourke also in the runnings. No one really knows who's coming out on top, they're all great, but one thing is for sure, its gonna be one hell of a race.

Michael Sheen on the other hand also did a magnificent job as David Frost, the fearless and ambitious journalist who defied all odds and pinned down a mighty giant. He was indeed a worthy adversary to Langella's Nixon and he is as intense as Langella in his own kind of way. Sam Rockwell and Oliver Platt plays Frost's top researchers and they were quite exceptional as well. Sam Rockwell in yet another character role supports the film with intensity and although his performance will be overlooked because of Langella and Sheen, he's still one of my favorites and his time will come soon. A talent like that, that's pretty hard to be missed. Kevin Bacon also, great showcase of talent as the right hand man to Nixon. Like Rockwell, he delivers a fine performance that cannot be missed. With a solid and gripping screenplay from Peter Morgan and a top notch directing from Howard and everybody else in between, Frost/Nixon is a film you can't afford to miss. One of 2008's finest.

Kevin Smith once again returns to the big screen with his latest offering "Zack and Miri Make a Porno". With its suggestive title, one can already guess what the movie's about and the backbone basically is, for the whole duration of the movie, its about Zack (Rogen) and Miri (Banks) making a porno. But in their epic quest to make an adult-themed movie, in true Kevin Smith style, we are treated with chock full of crass, lowbrow and relentlessly immature dialogs and scenes. You hear the F word, the C word, the N word and every other word, some might get offended so take precautions. There's also boob shots, a woman blowing bubbles out her genitalia and a DP getting creamed with fecal matter. Everything you know and love about Smith's Askewniverse is here.

However, I can't really say I fully enjoyed it to the maximum degree. The first half of the movie got off to a slow start. I don't know what happened there but the humor delivery needed a little bit more conviction both from Rogen and Banks. The movie picked up pace however when the cameras in the movie started rolling and the hilarity kicked into overdrive and it didn't stop until the end credits rolled. There is one thing that caught me off guard though, the love angle took me by surprise. I had no idea Smith wanted the movie to end with butterflies in our stomachs, that came out of nowhere and be that as it may, I think it worked pretty well. It may not be a directorial trait Smith is used to but that was a pretty good ending.

Rogen and Banks are adorable together, they have great chemistry. Robinson from The Office stole the show and so is Jason Mewes (Silent Bob's other half) as Lester the Molester Cockenschtuff. All in all, I'd say Zack and Miri was just a blast and if you want to have a good time in the movies, this one is recommended.

The dark comedy genre has always been a favorite of mine. From the Coen's comedy efforts to award winning films like American Beauty and indie smash hits like Little Miss Sunshine. I am always amazed on how comedy and tragedy blend and mix perfectly so whenever I hear of an upcoming dark comedy release, I do everything in my power to grab ahold of a copy. Just Buried I have to say, is entertaining in many ways. From the clever script to solid gold acting from both Byrne and Baruchel, and let's not forget the picturesque setting the director created. This movie will make you laugh, you will be scratching your head at times when you see the ridiculousness but that isn't really a bad thing. It might be silly but hey, this is no Fellini artpiece either so you just have to let go and let the movie take you in a wild ride about corpses, funerals and formaldehyde.

The animated movie scene is on a roll this year. It started with Dreamworks' Kung Fu Panda, then with the joyous Pixar gem Wall-E and now, with Walt Disney's heartfelt treat, Bolt. This movie is just fun from the minute it starts until it ends and they didn't forget to put in some heart which then makes some lasting impression to the audience. You will laugh at Rhino the hamster's overeager attitude and snappy dialogues, Mittens the cat and the pigeons were great comic relief but the star of the show Bolt, is the one who truly shines. He's just too darn cute in his Truman Show world, they gave him a distinct memorable character and John Travolta's voice work gave it life. Bolt's person, Penny who is voiced by tween popstar Miley Cyrus fit the character well. Seeing as this is her first time doing a gig like this, I can say she got the job done and very professional, I might add. As long as she's doing voice over gigs and gets second billing, that's fine by me.

Ultimately, I think what made this movie really work is John Lasseter. The Pixar brainchild who transferred to Disney. He gave Bolt a touch of Pixar that we all know and love but still separates it from other animated movies and giving it a distinct trait that we all knew and love in Disney classics like Snow White and Cinderella. All in all, Bolt is one of 2008's must-see movies, trust me, you wouldn't want to miss it for the world.

Despite a couple of setbacks, Spiderwick Chronicles comes out strong mixing a good amount of family fun and delicious CG effects. For every big hit success like The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter there's always the not-so-big and barely unnoticed The Seeker: The Dark is Rising (bet you haven't heard of it) and Bridge to Terabithia. Personally, I think Spiderwick Chronicles belongs with Harry Potter and LotR. It was a commercial success and most critics loved it. They incorporated all key elements in all five books and made it compact and neat in such a short amount of time. Whereas Harry Potter's saga is still on-going, Spiderwick Chronicles got the job done in a 90+ minute motion picture. The storyline is well done, the acting is quite good. From Freddie Highmore's dual roles to Sarah Bolger and Mary-Louise Parker, they gave very convincing acts. Nick Nolte is a bad guy, Martin Short is a rat (I think) and Seth Rogen is a bird eating hog. All is well in Spiderwick land and I had a good time watching it. If you need your daily dose of some fantasy treat, this movie is highly recommended.

I was expecting it to be a bad movie but in the end, it turns out the movie got to me. The plot is pretty solid, character development isn't cluttered and the acting wasn't half bad. Well, except of course Hayden Christensen who as usual gives his worst; even voice-over jobs and he's still bad, horribly bad. Jessica Alba gave an above average performance but that doesn't matter really, she's so pretty to look at you couldn't even care less to her dialogs. Terrence Howard and Lena Olin both gives convincing performances. Although some things tend to be a bit overdone overall though, Awake is a finely executed crafty little thriller thanks to heavy set act pieces of Howard and Olin and a well done directorial effort from Joby Harold.

Al Gore's worst nightmares comes true in this remake of the 1951 sci-fi classic and stars Keanu Reeves as Klaatu, the alien visitor who warns the human race of its impending doom. The Day the Earth Stood Still is yet another one of those remakes that fails to deliver all the stops and you would think that they had better left the original version untouched. It starts out strong, the mood was built and the tension was high as the mysterious big blue sphere descends in the middle of New York city. I have to admit, I was holding my breath during those minutes, it was a perfect recreation of the original scene and at that time it seemed like the remake was going places. But as the movie goes on it can't help but fall out the wagon several times and as it reaches its climactic conclusion, a feeling of disappointment takes over. It ended abruptly and the movie itself runs in a very short amount of time. Instead of ending it prematurely, they could have emphasized on Klaatu's decision in the end. That part did look like it was rushed. The ending was bad and Klaatu's decision made it worse. I didn't believe that he really got the proof that humans can change.

The acting however, was impressive to say the least. Keanu Reeves knocked it out of the park playing an alien with an ice cold stare and a deep blue voice. He's so good at playing wooden, mysterious and out of this world characters, from Neo in The Matrix to John Constantine in Constantine. I believe it is his field of expertise and this one is right up his alley. Jennifer Connelly, with the given material holds out on her own and worked with what was given to her. The underlying themes was conveyed, its relevancy to the Earth's current situation was delivered and I feel like this film, although a bit of a mess at times, is a strong statement in our society today and at the things that we do in our planet.

Moral of the story: If you do not throw your trash in the right place, a big blue ball will come to Earth and destroy humankind as we know it. So think twice before you act.